Brian Topp declared himself an “unapologetic social democrat” as he set out a political agenda to bring in a progressive tax system, tackle climate change and preserve accessible public health care.

Topp, a former party president who became a leadership contender, took aim at Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government.

“Through much of the world, Conservatives are in power and they have a firm grip on failure. It delivered growing inequality, rising poverty and failure on climate change,” Topp said in his speech to party members at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

“Progressives and social democrats are rediscovering our courage and we’re taking the fight directly to old-styled conservative thinking.

“We will elect Canada’s first NDP government . . . Bye, bye, Mr. Harper. That’s a sentence that works in both official languages.”

Topp, 51, highlighted the tensions that have played out in this leadership race over the future direction of the party and accusation that rival Thomas Mulcair seeks to tack the party too much to the centre.

“Hear this well — I’m a proud New Democrat and an unapologetic social democrat,” Topp said.

Topp vowed to fight for a “progressive tax system,” public health-care system, for the environment and a national public transit plan “that gets cars out of our biggest cities.”

“That’s the kind of government Canadians want. If you put your trust in me, that’s the government I’ll lead,” Topp said. “We have come so far. We are so close to arriving at a better Canada.”

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